Madison FFA student attends global youth institute

Katherine Howell, a member of the James Madison FFA chapter, was selected to join over 100 exceptional high school students from across the United States and world to participate in the Global Youth Institute held in conjunction with the World Food Prize in Des Moines, Iowa on October 17 – 19.

Katherine, an 11th grader at James Madison High School and an Agriscience Magnet Program (AMP) student, earned the privilege to attend this year’s Global Youth Institute as a delegate from Texas by researching and writing an essay on critical global food security issues and presenting her findings at the State Youth Institute held this past April at Texas A&M University. Howell had the opportunity again to present her research findings to the global community while at the Institute in Des Moines.

The three-day Global Youth Institute provided Katherine and her Agriculture Science Teacher, Jennifer Warren, the opportunity to interact with Nobel and World Food Prize Laureates and discuss pressing food security and agricultural issues with experts from across the world. They were able to be in attendance for the World Food Prize 2013 Borlaug Dialogue that featured such world leaders as H.E. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, the President of Iceland; the Honorable Tony Blair of England; Howard G. Buffett; and Ritu Sharma.